Traffic Light Protocol (TLP)

The Traffic Light Protocol (TLP) is a system designed to facilitate the sharing of sensitive information between individuals, groups, and organizations while managing potential risks to privacy, reputation, and operations. It uses four color-coded labels—TLP:RED, TLP:AMBER, TLP:GREEN, and TLP:CLEAR—to indicate the boundaries of information sharing.

TLP:RED is for strictly confidential information, which can only be shared with specific individuals. TLP:AMBER allows sharing within an organization and its clients on a need-to-know basis. TLP:GREEN permits sharing within a community, and TLP:CLEAR has no restrictions, allowing information to be shared publicly.

The protocol is aimed at being easy to adopt and is applicable in various settings, including meetings, documents, and automated information exchanges. Sources are responsible for ensuring recipients understand TLP guidelines, while recipients must obtain permission from the source if they need to share information more broadly than the label indicates.